[Paddlewise] Weather Concept Glossary

This may be more than any one else wants to know, but I ran across an
authoritative list of terms (titled:  "Weather Glossary for Storm
Spotters") at this URL:  http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/nws/branick2.html

This is a NOAA/NWSFO-sponsored site, originating from Norman, Oklahoma,
USA.  The author, Michael Branick, has this to say about his list:

> I have written the definitions in what hopefully passes as "layman's
> terms." They are written to be easily understood by the storm spotter,
> regardless of his or her meteorological background. At times I have
> sacrificed technical purity for simplicity, and the result may prompt
> a few moans from the technical purists. So be it; this glossary wasn't
> written for them. 

I like those apples!  Here is an excerpt, which helped me to understand
the pasting we are getting right now in Western OR/WA (we are in one of
these zones):

> Baroclinic Zone - A region in which a temperature gradient exists 
> on a constant pressure surface. Baroclinic zones are
> favored areas for strengthening and weakening systems; barotropic
> systems, on the other hand, do not exhibit significant
> changes in intensity. Also, wind shear is characteristic of a
> baroclinic zone. 

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
weather freak and closet earth scientist, obscured in a paddler's guise
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